A year ago, Waialua setter Brynn Basilio-Chun cried tears of joy after her team captured its first OIA girls volleyball championship.
On Wednesday, Basilio-Chun was in tears again after the Bulldogs pulled out an epic 25-21, 25-18, 18-25, 16-25, 18-16 win over Waipahu to capture their second OIA Division II girls volleyball championship in as many years.
“We talked about settling down, going back to basics. We know we can do it. We got it,” Basilio-Chun said. “Having a positive mindset and doing what we can do. It is a little bit different this year after becoming champions last year. We had to show out. I’m really happy now.”
Kailia Phillips supplied 21 kills and Kanoe Santiago tallied 19 kills for Waialua (9-3). Basilio-Chun added 31 assists and three kills, while Tehani Militante chipped in 14 assists and an ace for Waialua.
“Waipahu is a darn good team. We knew it was going to be a battle today. They made some changes to their rotation and so did we,” Waialua coach Bronson Chun said. “I can’t say enough about Waipahu. They came out to fight tonight. That’s what a championship game should be, down to the wire, to the last few points.”
Waipahu was 3-7 during the OIA West season against D-I and D-II competition, but won twice in the D-II playoffs to set up a chance at the title. Waipahu has not won an OIA girls volleyball title since 1975.
The Marauders gave their best shot in the title match.
Te‘a Suan had a team-high 12 kills plus two aces. Kahlan Soon had 11 kills and 15 assists, and Tiffany Tolentino and Amelia Heimuli chipped in 10 kills each from the middle. Shaeniah La Fountain dished 25 assists, adding six kills and two aces for the gritty Marauders.
Waialua, the top seed from the West, dominated the first two sets, but lost momentum and energy in the third and fourth games. Waipahu, which pushed Waialua to five sets in a loss on Oct. 11, was relentless.
It was a roller coaster ride for Waialua. Phillips had seven kills in a hot first set. She then struggled with 10 kills and nine hitting errors in the next three sets.
The 5-foot-9 outside hitter came through in the clutch with four kills and just one hitting error in the final set.
“It’s crazy. It’s a feeling like no other. It’s all heart. The work you put in outside of practice. How much you want it,” Phillips said.
Santiago was a hitting machine, providing consistency for the Bulldogs. She was at her best in the clutch with six kills in the fifth set.
“For my senior season, it feels amazing to leave a legacy. I’m glad we could win the championship again and that’s all that matters,” Santiago said. “During the time outs, Coach Bronson pulled us apart and told us we have to break down some things. One pass at a time, one set at a time and one hit at a time. Putting it all together puts us where we are now. Champions. It’s a serious game, but we have fun out there.”
Waialua’s balance of hitting, passing and blocking led to consistency — enough to thwart the hot Marauders. Waipahu fans packed a good chunk of the makai bleachers and raised the roof with their decibel level, but the Marauders couldn’t sustain rallies until the third set.
Waialua led 7-3 in Game 1, but Waipahu surged ahead 17-15 with the help of Bulldog hitting errors.
After calling time out, the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run to take control. The run started with back-to-back kills by Phillips, followed by a Basilio-Chun ace, another Phillips kill, consecutive Basilio-Chun aces and a Waipahu hitting error.
Waipahu got no closer than three points the rest of the set.
In the second game a lift and a hitting error by Waialua allowed Waipahu to tie it at 15-all. The Bulldogs then used a 7-3 run to regain momentum and take a 2-0 lead in the match. They had five blocks in set two: three by Marcella Becshen and two by Chloe McKee.
Waipahu opened a 12-3 lead and took the third set. Suan, Tolentino and Heimuli combined for eight kills while setters Shaeniah La Fountain and Kahlan Soon combined for 10 assists and four kills for the Marauders.
The Marauders carried their momentum into Game 4 with a 7-4 lead. Waialua rallied to take a 9-7 lead, getting an ace from Bailey Menor along the way.
Waipahu then regrouped and went on a 14-4 run. La Fountain contributed two aces, while five hitting errors by the Bulldogs allowed Waipahu to open a 21-13 lead.
Waialua had eight hitting errors in the fourth set, a shell of the team that came out firing in the first two games.
In the deciding set, Waipahu had an 8-5 lead before Waialua made a final run to gain an 11-10 edge.
Waialua lost the lead, then got a kill by Santiago on a desperation punch, and Phillips set Santiago for a kill — Waipahu was whistled for a double hit at the net, to give the Bulldogs a 13-12 lead.
Three times, Waipahu tied the fifth. Tolentino’s kill off a block knotted it at 16-all.
Phillips then put the match away with back-to-back kills.
The Division II bracket of New City Nissan/HHSAA State Championships will begin on Tuesday. Regional sites are Moanalua and McKinley. The championship match on Nov. 10 will be at BYU-Hawaii’s Cannon Activities Center.
